New Agreement Spells Out King Court Resident Participation in Housing Authority Redevelopment Plans

EAST HARTFORD — — The housing authority and the King Court tenants association have reached an agreement for how residents will participate in the complex's redevelopment.

The East Hartford Housing Authority is planning to sell King Court, a moderate-income complex and the last of the authority's state-funded properties.

The authority and the tenants association have worked since August to complete a plan allowing participation by residents in the redevelopment process, said Kelly McDermott, who was recently hired as the authority's senior manager for planning and modernization.

The plan is a legal requirement to provide opportunities for residents to have a voice in the sale or substantial redevelopment their housing, she said.

About 50 of the 80 King Court units are currently occupied. The property has been a financial drag on the housing authority for years and is in need of significant repairs.

The participation agreement, signed Thursday night by authority Executive Director Debra Bouchard and Mary Hill, president of the tenants association, provides for two public meetings to solicit recommendations and comment from residents and the selection of two tenant representatives to review development proposals.

The agreement says "the two tenant representatives shall be included on the proposal review committee, and shall have input into the selection process, but the final decision as to which proposal will be selected will be the sole determination of the EHHA."

Hill said that the selection of representatives is scheduled Nov. 19.

"We can let it be known what we want… speed bumps possibly; a cul-de-sac possibly; a community center. These are the things we want," she said.

McDermott said that development proposals will be presented to the residents. "Before we select who is going to be the next owner of King Court," she said," we get to ask them tough questions."

The agreement also calls for at least seven days advance notice for all relevant housing authority meetings and that all significant documents related to the sale and redevelopment of King Court will be made available.